Billion Dollar Date
by The Pakora Princess
Summary: Rose gets caught up in a web lies when she breaks into the apartment of billionaire developer Dominic Crossfire. He's the rudest and the bossiest man ever but there's something about him. Rose finds herself lusting after him and wondering how things would be if things were different. A Stardust Works Moments - Billion Dollar Bride fanfiction. Please read and review!
1. PROLOGUE

Billion Dollar Date  
Written by: Pakora Princess

 _ **PROLOGUE**_

 _How did I get myself into this mess?_

I have asked this question to my reflection many times ever since I've crossed paths with Dominic Crossfire. Although I try not to, I can't help but to conjure up his devilishly handsome face in my mind. I ball up my fists in anger and something else... Something else I don't dare to define because if I do, it could potentially mean losing my heart and head.

Only a few days ago in his car, in an attempt to annoy Dominic I had licked cupcake frosting off the side of his jaw as he drove us to his place. Instead of being appalled as I expected him to be, he had the opposite reaction. He pulled over on the shoulder of the highway and crushed his mouth to mine in a passionate kiss. My body was numb with pleasure with his demanding lips on mine. Never in my 24 years of life had I ever experienced a kiss like that. It literally took my breath away.

I know I should be more furious with him, especially since he's basically forcing me to do the most sketchy thing that I ever done. There was dark cloud that hovered over his demands for me to pretend to be his last personal assistant Amelia. It may have sounded harmless, but with the amount of security he's provided me with, I know this impersonation job is more dangerous than he is letting on.

But that kiss... I just couldn't stop thinking about that kiss. It was like he burned my lips with his pent-up passion. And I can't help but to wonder how things between would be us if we had met under different circumstances. If he had just been a regular Joe walking into my coffee shop and we had hit it off from there...

 _Maybe we'd be dating, who knows? Maybe we could be something more than what we are now...?_ I couldn't help myself and even began fantasizing about it...


	2. Chapter 1

_**CHAPTER ONE**_

It was only 30 more minutes until my coffee shop could officially close and my two other baristas had abandoned me. They had left early to complete other errands in their busy family life. My family was a little less complicated than theirs, since I only had my sister Juliet. However, because my sister is Juliet, my family life was probably more complicated too. Ever since we were young, she always had the tendency to get into trouble. Lucky for her, I was always there to get her out of it. This new mess she was in was weighing heavily on my mind.

 _Pregnant and blackmailed, how can it get any worse than that for my poor little sister?_ But as usual, I am determined to help her out, no matter what. I let out an exasperated breath as I wring out a wet sponge, since I am getting ready to clean up the dirty tables.

I can hear the tinkle of the wind chimes I had placed by the entrance to notify me when a new customer enters the store. I can hear him, before I see him as he's talking loudly on his phone. His voice has a deep timber and it sounds tense as he barks orders to the other person on the line. I look up from the table that I'm wiping down to check out the new customer. He's very tall, well-dressed and drop dead gorgeous. It was the type of impossibly gorgeous you would see in a men's fashion magazine, he actually looked like he just walked straight out of the pages of GQ.

He has dark brown hair, striking blue eyes, a strong square jaw and beautifully shaped lips. I couldn't help it, but my eyes are drawn to his sensuously shaped mouth. Quickly, I rub my wet hands on my apron and hurry behind the counter to wait for his order. Then our eyes meet for the first time and his gaze is piercing. I don't know why, but I feel like the atmosphere between us is thick with tension. Which I find odd, since I've had many handsome male customers before in my shop and I've never had such a strong attraction to them as I do now. But there's something about him, something very magnetic about his deep blue eyes that I can't stop staring at. I can see him scan every feature on my face and it is unnerving. I force a friendly smile to hide the uneasiness simmering inside of me.

"Hello and welcome to my little and humble coffee shop. How can I help you?" I ask him, my voice sounding breathy to my ears. That nervousness of mine is hard to quell in his presence.

He still keeps his vivid blue eyes on me as he hangs up on his phone call and shoves his cell into his pocket. He gives me half smile before he peruses the chalkboard menu behind me.

"I'll have a small expresso, black." He responds and then looks at the baked goods that are kept on the counter.

"Anything else for today?" I automatically say out of habit.

"The biscotti actually looks good, I think I'll take one." He replies, looking at the glass jar filled chocolate dipped biscotti with keen interest.

"They are so good. I should know, since I baked them myself," I brag with a smile, my nervousness fading.

"I thought you said that this was a humble coffee shop?" The customer retorts with a teasing smile, revealing a dimple in his left cheek.

"My baking skills are one of the things in my life that I'm confident about and I'm not afraid to flaunt it," I reply with a small laugh as I pull out one biscotti with silver tongs and drop it into a small paper bag. He takes the paper bag from me with that half smile I'm beginning to know so well.

"I'm looking forward to trying it," He says with a soft chuckle.

"Your expresso will be ready in another minute..." I tell him as I search for a paper cup.

I can feel his eyes on me as I scurry around hunting for the stack of small paper cups. After I finally locate the cups, I bring one to the expresso machine. Then I start to carefully pour fresh ground beans into the porta-filter and begin making his expresso. The pleasant fragrance of coffee fills the air and I like I always do, I inhale it deeply with a soft smile.

"I'm sorry, but have we met before?" The customer enquires as he places both of his palms flat on the counter and leans forward. His muscular frame is now the only thing I can see as it takes up my entire view.

"I don't think we have, sir." I breathe out with a nervous grin. As if I could forget a face like that if I had ever met it before.

"It's just that you seem so familiar," He wondered aloud while scratching his chin. "I just can't put my finger on it..."

"Maybe I just have one of those ordinary faces?" I offer as an explanation with a shrug of my shoulders.

"No, that's not it. Also, I'm sorry if my comment insinuated that I think you have an ordinary face," He replies, his lips twitching with supressed laughter. "I find your face quite beautiful, in fact."

I feel a blush rising in my cheeks from his statement and I swiftly place a cap on his cup of coffee.

"Here's your small expresso, black. With the biscotti, your total is $3.75," I inform him, giving him his beverage. Our fingertips touch when he takes the cup from me and I can feel a tingle of electricity pass through us from the mere contact

"Thank you so much...Rose" He says as his eyes squints at my name tag and he hands me a 20 dollar bill. "Please keep the change."

"Thanks for the tip," I reply and the cash register rings loudly as I put the twenty in.

"So, Rose... I notice that this shop in closing in 20 minutes. Thus, I was wondering what you were up to afterwards?" He asks after taking a long sip of his coffee.

 _I'm gonna to throw my fuzzy pajamas on, stuff my face with left over lasagna and brainstorm on ways on how to help my sister_ , I thought to myself.

"Uh... Not much really, I suppose," I answer as I tuck a stray curl behind an ear. "Just a night in."

"So, how hard would it be for me to convince you to get dinner with me tonight?" He invited with that half smile of his.

"Well, I don't typically go out to dinner with customers." I retort as I tilt my head to one side, taking his handsome physique in. "Especially when I don't know their name."

"Fair enough. How about we remedy that?" He said and then he placed his coffee cup back onto the counter so he could hold out his hand for a handshake. "My name is Dominic Crossfire and I would love to take you out for dinner tonight, if you'll have me."

I stare at his outstretched a hand for a second before I flick my gaze back up his face. His face looks honest and kind... And of course I already know how badly I am attracted to him. Do I actually take a chance and go on a date with this stranger?

"Dinner sounds lovely, Dominic," I answer by placing my hand in his. A shiver runs up my spine from the sensation of his rough palm against mine own.

"Really? Just like that?" He ensures that he heard me correctly.

"Really, just like that." I confirm with easy smile.

 _What has my impulsiveness gotten me into now?_


	3. Chapter 2

_**CHAPTER TWO**_

I quickly lock up the shop as Dominic waits for me outside. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see him leaning against the hood of his slick sports car as he guzzles down his espresso and chomps away at the biscotti in a short amount of time. I think he looks adorable gobbling down the food I made him and I hope he enjoyed it.

I sling my cross-body purse over my shoulder and toss the store keys into the large front pocket as I make my way to him. My kitten heels click against the pavement and he watches my every move as I get closer to his car. He chucks his empty coffee cup and paper bag into a nearby trash can before he strides toward the passenger door and holds it open for me.

"So Rose, for our first date what type of restaurant would you like to go to? French? Italian? A seafood place?" Dominic asks as offers his hand to help me into the car.

Thinking about the slab of lasagna waiting for me in my fridge, I smile and tell him...

"Italian. I'm definitely in the mood for some good pasta." I confirm as I take his hand and slip into his vehicle.

"Then we definitely have to go _Balsamico_ , I'm a huge fan of their Arancini di Riso," He articulates in what sounds like perfect Italian to my ears. He then closes my door and hops into the driver seat.

" _Balsamico?_ That fancy restaurant that has a two month waiting list?" I inquire with raised eyebrows. Juliet and I have always wanted to eat there, but neither of us were ever fastidious enough to make the reservation.

"I'm only aware of that one, yes." He answers with an amused smile.

"But with that crazy long waiting list, how are we going to get a table?" I ask him.

"Well, I know the owner... and he owes me a favour or two. We'll get a table." He assured me with that half smile. He then puts his Ray Ban sunglasses on and then takes a quick glance at the rear view mirror. Finally he turns the ignition on and drives his car out of the parking space in front my cafe.

"Even so, we can't go there! I'm not appropriately dressed to dine at a place like that if you hadn't noticed!" I exclaim as I cross my arms self-consciously over my simple outfit. I was wearing plain black slacks with a simple gray button down blouse.

"I hadn't noticed that... Besides, I think you look just fine," He responded and then he took a quick moment to leer at me from under his sunglasses. I can feel his gaze on me from head to toe for one heated moment before he returns his gaze back to the road ahead of us.

"Well, you need to pick another restaurant or you can take me home to change into another outfit. I'll leave the decision up to you," I firmly negotiate, recrossing my arms.

"There's a bossy lady under that sweet exterior of yours, isn't there?" Dominic says with a small laugh.

"As business owner, it's a skill I had to pick up. Otherwise my employees would be walking all over me," I retort with a smirk. I recall my first month at my own cafe and how tough it was for me to be nice all the time. It took me a couple more weeks to realize that I just had to say no and stay firm on most decisions. I'd go out business if I didn't.

"Oh, I definitely concur with you there," Dominic agreed with a nod and then he pulls over into a side road. "So, why don't you give me your address because I'm in mood for _Balsamico_ tonight."

I give him my address and he types the coordinates into his dashboard GPS. In five short minutes, we arrive in front of my house.

"Did you go to race car driving school or something?" I joke as I open the door. I was slightly dizzy from the fast drive.

"No, not me. But my secretary did and maybe she gave me a few pointers," Dominic replied with a chuckle.

"Did you want wait for me inside?" I invited, gesturing toward the house I share with my sister.

"Wow, Rose. I didn't think you'd invite me to your house so soon," Dominic teased with a crooked smile. "And I didn't even buy you dinner yet."

"Ok there Dominic. It's just an invite to sit in my living room while I get changed," I parlayed back as I raise an eyebrow at him. "Not an invitation to my bedroom."

"Thank you for pointing out the difference then. I'll take you up on your kind offer." He replied as he opened the driver side door, pulling out a black leather briefcase. "You don't mind if I bring some work materials with me, do you?"

"Of course not. I hope that you make yourself comfortable." I tell him as I lead him into the house. He follows me to the living room and I bring him toward the couch.

"Would you like a drink while you wait?" I offered as I dump my purse onto the kitchen counter that's adjacent to the living area.

"The espresso has just kicked in, so I should be fine for the next hour at least," he says as he opens up his briefcase and pulls out some files.

"Ok, I should be ready in the next 15 to 20 minutes." I tell him, heading towards the stairs.

"That should be enough time for me to re-read some of these contracts," he replies, waving me away with his half smile.

I run up the stairs and hurry to my room. I already know which outfit I want to wear and I rush to my closet. And there it drapes on a padded hanger, the brand new summer dress I had purchased a couple weeks ago. It was light and airy cream coloured dress with lovely green and gold flower patterns embellished on it. I hadn't worn the garment yet, since I was waiting for a special occasion. _Dinner with a handsome and mysterious stranger, what better occasion was there than that?_

I quickly tear off my cafe uniform and throw it on heap on the floor. I pick up the dress and allow the silky material to slither down my body. For a loose dress, it still fits in all the right places. It is slightly snug around my bust which reveals some slight cleavage. It also cinches in at my waist and it hugs my hips before the skirt flares out in soft pleated waves. I pull on white cardigan just in case it gets cold later. Then I enter my powder room and fish around my cabinet drawer for some makeup. I apply a quick coat of mascara, then swipe on some cranberry coloured lip gloss and then administer a light dusting of powder on my cheeks and nose. Finally, I grab a forest green choker out my jewelry box and fasten it around my neck. I really don't have time to fix my hair and leave it alone in its low ponytail. I take a final glance in the washroom vanity and I decide that it's good enough for _Balsamico._

Before I descend the stairs, I take a peek into Juliet's room. I already know that she's not there since she's staying over at her best friend's house tonight. She said she needed a break from the room she used to share with Charles. I go into her closet and steal a pair of nude coloured strappy heels and faux leather clutch purse. I slip on the high heels and finally feel like my ensemble is complete.

I enter to living room and find that Dominic has turned the couch and coffee table into his own little home office. He has a silver Mont Blanc pen tucked behind an ear, and his eyebrows are knit tightly together while he studies a file folder that he placed on the table. His mouth is in severe frown so it appears that he does not like what he's reading.

"Hard at work, I see," I tease as I step in front of him on the other side of the coffee table.

He looks up at me and I can see his jaw drop slightly. He smiles at me and I can see that dimple of his again.

"You look beautiful," He responds, his gaze intense. There's a tension in the air between us, like earlier today. When our eyes met for the first time at the coffee shop.

"Well you must already know that you don't look so bad yourself," I admit as a stubborn blush creeps up my neck and cheeks.

"You're cute when you blush," Dominic states as he gets up from the sofa. "So, how about we finally get some dinner?"

"Sounds good to me," I reply with a wry grin as I pat my belly indicating how hungry I am. "I'm absolutely famished."

"Me too..." He says in a gruff voice. The look in his eyes implies that it's not for food.


	4. Chapter 3

_**CHAPTER THREE**_

 _Balsamico_ is probably the most fancy place I've ever been to. Although the decor is rustic with its traditional woodwork and exposed red brick walls, there is an elegance to everything. The crisp linen table cloths, the gorgeous industrial lamps, the shiny copper finishes, the beautifully made wood burning oven that was imported direct from Italy, all of these new and old elements really came together to create a warm and inviting environment. On our car ride over, Dominic explained how he was integral to importing the oven into the USA with little hassle over the border. Along with some other things he didn't want to mention... Which may explain why the owner is in his debt.

I can't help but admire restaurant as Dominic and I follow their stylish hostess in tall stiletto heels to our table. She keeps looking back at him as she heavily bats her eyelashes and gives him her best flirtatious smile as she whispers a little something to him here and there. Its apparent that she doesn't want me to overhear, because she avoids my eyes completely, so I'm not included in their conversations. A part of me wants to punch her in the face, but another part of me wonders why I want to hurt her so much. I've never been the jealous type before and it's not like Dominic is my boyfriend. _It's probably because you've never went out with a guy like Dominic before_... I think to myself as I try to ignore this envious side to me.

"Here we are. There's your table Mr. Crossfire," She tells him with flourish of her hands. We were taken to a secluded alcove of the restaurant where a candlelit table awaits for us.

"If there's anything else you need, I will personally see to it." She says suggestively in a seductive voice as she hands him some menus. Dominic appears uninterested and takes the menus from her with a smirk.

"Considering how unprofessional you've been towards my guest and I..." He retorts coldly. "I highly doubt that I'll be requesting your assistance."

She gasps slightly and quickly disappears from our view. I can't help myself but to chuckle at her fast exit. He really knew how to put her in her place. He then moves behind me to help into chiavari chair.

"You don't mince words," I simply state as I take a seat. "I think I admire that in a guy."

"In my business, time is money. I have to speak plainly." He explains with my favourite half smile on his lips and gets into his own chair.

"So, what would you call this impromptu dinner?" I tease him as I open the menu.

"Well, you know what they say about too much hard work making Jack a dull boy," He replies with a wicked smile on his face. "I have to etch out time to play hard too."

"My guess is that dull is not word that people typically use to describe you," I guessed aloud, as I dip my head to peruse the menu trying the hide the blush I feel creeping up my face. This man was way too sexy for his own good. "And I've only known you for a few hours."

"I'll call that high praise then," He answers, smiling knowingly at me as he hands me a smaller menu. "Here's the wine list. Would you like to choose the vintage for the night? We can order a bottle of whatever you want."

I take the menu from him and give a quick glance at the wines and my jaw drops. I cannot believe the prices of some of these wines! The most expensive bottle of wine I've ever tried had to have costed $20 at the most and that alone had made me feel fancy. The wines on this list were about 3 to 4 digits!

"I think its best that you choose the wine. I'm a bit out my depth here," I admit as I give the wine menu back to him.

"Well, do you have an idea of what you're going to order? That will help me choose between a red or white wine." He explained.

"I didn't know it was possible, but there are actually too many enticing items here. I want to order one of everything." I tell him, my mouth watering at the mere descriptions of their food. "Do I want crispy squid? Truffle tagliatelle? The mozzarella in carrozza? They all sound so good..."

"We can start with a bottle of rosé then," he says as he peers through the wine list. "I'll get the arancini and you can order all of those things that you've been drooling over. And we can share it, like an appetizer platter."

"That sounds heavenly," I reply with a soft smile. "Although, I'm not even sure if I want share my food with you..."

We chuckle and a well-dressed waiter appears and takes our wine and appetizer orders. The waiter returns with a tiny snifter of rosé wine for Dominic to taste. Dominic swirls the pale pink liquid in the glass and then he breathes it in deeply. He takes a sip and provides the waiter with a satisfied grin.

"You've pick another great wine, Enzo," Dominic compliments him. The waiter appears pleased by his praise.

"Thank you sir, I'll bring the bottle then." He replies and then he departs.

It doesn't take too long before Enzo is pouring some rosé into my wine glass. Copying Dominic, I sniff the fragrant liquid and I am mildly surprised by how nice it is. It smells slightly acidic but the sweet notes of strawberries and grapes overcomes my senses. Dominic is watching me with an amused smile playing on his lips.

"It tastes even better," he advises as he takes a dignified sip from his glass. I take a tentative sip and I then realize the wine I've been drinking before is nothing but grape juice in comparison.

"It's actually pretty amazing," I agree wholeheartedly, as I try my best not to gulp it all down in one shot.

The waiter returns with our appetizers, placing plates of deliciousness on our table. Everything is artfully ensembled on its plate and smells incredible. I pick up a piece of the crispy squid and pop it into my mouth. The batter is delightfully spicy and lemony but the texture of the squid is surprisingly soft.

"Oh my gosh. I'd come back for this squid alone," I gush as I pop another piece into my mouth.

"Here, why don't you try this?" Dominic suggested placing some of his arancini rice balls on my plate. Then he sneakily stabbed some of my crispy squid with his fork and brings it back to his own plate.

Using my fork, I cut a rice ball in half before bringing it to my mouth. The first bite is crisp and upon the second bite it's creamy and rich and full of flavor. No wonder Dominic is crazy about this dish.

"I think I want to marry the chef. Is he single?" I say as I pick up the other half of the rice ball with my fork. Dominic laughs.

"Well, there might be a problem or two there. First of all, the chef is a she. And furthermore, she has been happily married for the last 20 years," Dominic replies with a laugh.

"That's just my luck!" I joke as I turn my attention truffle tagilatelle. I'm determined to eat everything that I can at this place.

We spend the next couple hours talking, laughing and eating the most amazing food with our excellent wine. A part of me is amazed by how easy it is to talk to him, even though I barely know him. If a stranger walked past us, they would probably think we were old friends catching up.

Another part of me is also very scared by this and how attracted I am to him. How did I catch feelings so quickly? This wasn't like me at all. I'm usually very cautious when it comes to my heart and have built a formidable fortress around it. This was result from cleaning up Juliet's many messes which had usually had involved a boy. It had taught me to be careful always. Sometimes I wished it taught Juliet that too. But she always just followed her heart, come what may. Maybe there's something to be admired about Juliet's bravery in regards to following her heart.

The evening is drawing to an end and dessert is finally being served. They place a small plate in front of me holding lavender panna cotta with lemon infused whipped cream that is garnished with a sprig of mint and a candied lemon peel. For Dominic, they simply bring him a cup espresso and a biscotti. _Again... I guess he really likes biscotti?_

Taking the small dessert spoon, I dip it into the glassy surface of panna cotta and take my first bite. No surprises anymore, it's absolutely delicious. It's light, refreshing and sweet. There are subtle notes of lavender that work well with lemon flavored whipped cream.

"Have you tried the panna cotta here before? It's so yummy!" I rave as I take another bite. Dominic raises an eyebrow as he watches me eat.

"I have not. I don't like things that are overly sweet," He replies as he takes a quiet slurp of his expresso before I can hear an audible crunch of the biscotti.

"But this isn't overly sweet like your usual dessert. Here, try it! You are going to love it," I promise as I take a spoonful of panna cotta and some of the lemon cream and then direct it to his mouth. He tries to move away, so I accidentally smear some of the whipped cream along his jaw before the spoon makes it into his mouth.

"That isn't bad at all," He admits as he takes a linen napkin to wipe off the cream off his jawline.

"Don't you feel silly for not ordering one?" I tease as a spoon in another sweet morsel into my mouth. He inches closer to me with a determined look on his face.

"How about you share half of it with me?" He demands as he picks up the second dessert spoon that was set on the table.

"Just order another one!" I tell him, very unwillingly to give up my panna cotta so easily. A couple bites is fine, but half? He was asking for too much.

"But that takes time and your's is already here," He reasoned logically, as one of his arms circles around me to grab the dessert from the other side.

Realizing what he's up to, I start taking as many quick bites as I can barely leaving him any. It is a small panna cotta afterall, so it didn't take too many bites.

"Sorry, not sorry," I say triumphantly with a wide smile, to which he chuckles.

"You think you're so clever, do you?" He says, his voice suddenly gravelly.

With barely any warning he then grabs my chin and presses his mouth to mine in passionate kiss. His tongue strokes the bottom of my lip before it enters my mouth. I feel dizzy and heady all at once and cannot help myself by giving into his kiss. My tongue tangles with his as my arms travel up his well-built chest to finally join around his strong neck. As suddenly as the kiss started, it ends as he breaks away from my clasp with a devilish grin on his face.

"I think that the panna cotta is now my new favourite on the menu," He says with his own triumphant smile.


	5. Chapter 4

_**CHAPTER FOUR**_

Dominic is taking me home in his sports car and he is making light conversation, but I'm not really engaging. I nod and smile when I'm prompted to but I'm distracted and obviously still light headed from the kiss. It had been a long time since anyone kissed me. Hell, I don't even remember being kissed like that ever.

"Hey Rose, are you there?" Dominic asks noting the blank stare in my eyes as he pulls into my driveway. He appears concerned.

"Sorry, I drifted off for a bit... I've had a long day," I lied quickly, avoiding his gaze as I grab my clutch from the floor mat of his car.

"Well, I won't keep you too long then," Dominic replies with a sympathetic smile.

"He hops out of the car and opens my door for me. His hand is outstretched to help me out of my seat. I grab his hand and try to ignore that jolt of electricity that passes through my arm. But I can't, I'm so drawn to him and his energy and everything about him. I almost don't want to let of his hand.

"Nightcap before you go?" I find myself offering him, knowing that I shouldn't.

"What do you have?" He asks, his interest perked.

"Whiskey." I tell him. "Don't worry, I know you have to drive so I'll pour you a tiny one."

"Excellent, I love whiskey." He replies.

"It's cheap whiskey," I warn him as I lead him into the house.

"Even better!" He says with enthusiasm, which I laugh at. I can tell he's accustomed to the more expensive stuff, so he's not fooling anyone.

I lead him to our kitchen and have him sit at the breakfast bar. I then pick out two whiskey glasses and a bottle of black label Johnnie Walker.

"Let me guess, you want yours neat?" I ask as I unscrew the cap of the whiskey bottle.

"You would be guessing correctly," He confirms with a nod.

"A man after my own heart," I say as I pour two fingers of the whiskey into each glass.

"If it's up for grabs, I'm definitely interested." He replies as reaches for one of the glasses.

He gives me a pointed look as he swirls the whiskey in his glass.

"That's going to take a lot more whiskey than I have here," I say jokingly, picking up the other glass.

"To cheap whiskey, then." He says as he raises his glass. We then clink our glasses together.

"This cheap stuff isn't that bad," He comments after taking a sip.

"It's definitely a change of pace from the wine from the restaurant..." I say as I take a small sip from my glass. "Considering your expensive tastes, what made you enter my coffee shop today?"

"Well, your coffee shop is located in area that is going to go through a real-estate boom in the next couple years. I was meeting up with some government officials nearby to assess the land they want to develop," He explained as he places his empty whiskey glass down on the counter. He signals that he would like a top up and I happily oblige before I pour more into my own glass. I never did like drinking this stuff alone.

"There's a couple of other high end coffee places in the area that you could have went to..." I surmise aloud before taking a long sip of my drink.

"But your coffee shop had the best reviews in the area. I had to check out how this little no-name coffee shop had higher reviews than some well-established chain cafes." He told me with that half grin of his. "And after I tried your biscotti, I understood why... It was the best biscotti ever, even better than _Balsamico's_. I really appreciated that you used dark chocolate, it gave the cookie just the right balance of sweetness."

It was gratifying to know that all the hard work and effort I put into making the baked goods fresh and delicious was actually appreciated. I also didn't know that our shop was so favourably reviewed. I stopped reading my online reviews because I cried so much when I read my first bad one. Some douchebag complained that our macaroons didn't have enough coconut, our coffee was too strong and we didn't have enough staff. It had hurt to read his words. Regardless to say, Juliet basically forced me off reading our Yelp reviews from that day forward. So, I hadn't read anything about our cafe for a couple years now.

"I told you, right? Baking is one of my passions in life. Nothing in my cafe is ever done half-assed!" I say with a confident grin.

"We're a lot alike in some ways. I don't like half-assing either. Which is why it's very important to me that this deal goes through. Then maybe I'll have the opportunity to visit your cafe more often," He says and my heart skips a beat. Seeing more of Dominic? How could I not look forward to that?

"I guess you're a big time property developer, eh? Have you built anything already that I might have heard of?" I inquire with genuine curiosity.

"The greatest project to date would probably be the Stardust Hotel close to 5th Avenue," he answers and my jaw drops.

The Stardust Hotel? That's one of fanciest hotels I've ever laid eyes on. The only reason I knew about it, is because Juliet's scummy ex- boyfriend Charlie was keeping a room there. He had super wealthy parents who had cut him off financially, but they still paid for his room and board at the Stardust. During the good times of their relationship, Juliet and I would lounge around the hotel pool area, sipping on mimosas while we worked on our tans. I never really warmed up to Charlie but the man knew how to fix us some mean mimosas.

"Wow... that's serious. You actually built the Stardust." I say with awe. "It's such a beautiful building... I love that it has so much old world charm to its architecture."

"Thanks Rose," he replies as a bashful smile plays on his lips. "My team and I worked really hard to blend the modern and traditional together on that project."

"I really hope you win that contract then. I'm really tired of seeing boring buildings on my way to work." I tell him as I finally drain my drink. The whiskey pleasantly warms my belly and leaves me feeling delightfully tipsy.

"Oh, as property developer I can promise you that I hate boring buildings more than you do." He agrees, draining his drink too.

We hold each other gazes and the air between us electric. His sky blue eyes are captivating and I find myself getting lost in their depths. He caresses the side of my face with the back of his fingers gently as I lean into it with a soft sigh. Before I know it, he grabs my face and fuses our mouths together for the second time this night and I am powerless to stop him. As if I'd ever want him to stop...

His hands move to my hair, tangling themselves in my long loose curls as his tongue delves into my mouth. I'm suddenly getting tipsy on the feeling of his lips against mine and I know I want more. I attempt to get closer but the breakfast bar counter remains between us and I growl in frustration.

"This maybe the whiskey talking but I think I want to extend that invitation to my bedroom," I whisper as I look up at him with mischievous smile on my lips.

"Are you certain about this?" He ensures as he slowly rubs his thumb across my bottom lip. His eyes are now a deep blue with passion as he watches me for more assurance.

I then grab his face and crush my mouth to his, silencing any doubts that he may have about my desire. I need more of this, more of his kisses and his touches.

"So certain," I murmur against his lips.

"Thank God, you're driving me absolutely crazy," He mutters roughly.

He then comes around to my side of bar before he throws me over his shoulder.

"I hope this is okay," He asks as he walks towards the stairs.

"I'm still wearing high heels, so my feet are sore and I'm a little dizzy from the whiskey and your lips... So this is definitely more than okay with me," I answer with a giggle.

"Please direct me to your boudoir..." He drawls as he climbs up the stairs. Although I ate a ton of food at dinner tonight, he carries me easily as if I'm weightless. Maybe because his kisses make me feel like I'm floating?

"The last door on your left..." I tell him and then he pats my bottom in response.

When we get to my room, he finally sets me down. Being back in a position to kiss again, we don't delay. Our mouths find each other again as our hands frantically pull off articles of clothing. His suit jacket falls to the floor with a quiet thud and then my white cardigan follows right after. He shakily kicks off his Italian leather shoes and shortly after my high heels joins the pile. My fingers are trembling with anticipation as they start to unbutton his dress shirt and he just deftly tugs my dress over my head. I then start unbuckling his belt with some trouble. He's wearing one of those tricky belt buckles and I am finding it challenging to get it free. He offers to help out, but I am determined to undress him. With a strong yank of my hands I am finally able to get it free but the motion causes me to fall backwards on the bed. I sit up slightly startled and I can hear Dominic chuckle at me. Free of his belt, he throws off his remaining clothes and then advances on me in bed in a lion like motion. Biting my bottom lip, I throw my head back as I sink into the mattress as he devours the side of my neck and collarbone area. His coarsened fingertips are running along the curves of my body as they remove the last of my undergarments.

"You're beautiful..." He breathes as he cups my face in his hands and stops for a moment to look at me.

I take this moment to stare at him too. He's definitely a sight to behold, from his devilishly handsome face, to his muscular naked body. The moment finally passes and we continue from where we left off. My hands glide up his powerful chest and I wrap my legs around his lean hips. Our bodies fuse together in a rhythmic pace that stoke the fires that have building inside me since I first laid eyes on him. I cling to his shoulders in wanton abandon, my breasts rubbing deliciously against the rock hard slab that is his chest and the fires between us grow hotter and brighter with every thrust of his hips. I feel the levels of pleasure climb higher and higher until my world bursts in an explosion of amazing colours. We finally collapse in each others arms, our bodies spent and slick with sweat. We lay next to each other in a comfortable silence as we attempt to catch our breath.

"I don't want this night to end," I say with a soft sigh as I roll onto my back.

"Me either," Dominic replies and he pulls me back into his strong arms. "And so we should make the most of it..."

He gives me passionate kiss and I just melt in his arms, ready for round two.


	6. Chapter 5

_**CHAPTER FIVE**_

I can feel the warm morning sunlight on my face as pull strands of my long curly hair off my forehead. I roll onto my stomach and reach out next to me expecting to feel Dominic's muscled shoulder but I come up empty. Surprised, I sit up and realize that I'm not in my own room. I'm in Dominic's lavish guest room at an undisclosed location of one of his mansions. Then it all comes back to me, that Dominic is basically coercing me into retrieving his stolen tender bids in exchange for help with Juliet's blackmailer.

"So it was all just a... dream? A super realistic dream?" I ask myself aloud. I fall back onto my pillow with a groan, feeling slightly embarrassed and very dissapointed. _Oh my gosh, did I just have the most vivid sex dream about Dominic?_

Then memories from my dream fill my head and I can't stop myself from picturing Dominic's magnificently naked body on top of mine. Pleasant shivers run up my body at the mere vision and I need them to stop. I am determined to hate Dominic, not lust after him! I crawl out of the plush bed and run into the en suite bathroom.

I turn on the taps and splash cold water on my face and that seems to help a little bit. Then I begin my typical morning ritual of brushing my teeth, before I hop in the shower. The water is warm and the shower pressure is wonderful on my tense back. I turn the shower dial slightly to the left and the water becomes cooler like I want it. I need this cold shower to help me forget about how much I desire my kidnapper. _Could I actually be experiencing Stockholm syndrome?_ I ask myself this as squeeze shampoo into my palm before I lather it into my long tresses.

After my shower, I feel calmer and somewhat better about my situation. I wrap a fluffy white towel around my naked body and then return to the bedroom. I rifle around my suitcase looking for a cute outfit to wear for the day. My thoughts are interrupted by someone rapping on the door.

"Come in!" I yell, assuming that it was Marge bringing me that designer dress that they purchased yesterday night. She said she had to properly steam the gown before I could wear it and would give it to me the very next morning.

"You're up early," I hear Dominic's deep voice say from the door. He's standing in the door frame holding up a garment bag.

"One of the habits you get when you run a cafe, I suppose," I say with a roll of eyes as turn my attention back to the clothes I packed in my suitcase, basically trying to ignore his presence. He approaches me and the fragrance of his expensive cologne hits me. As much as I don't want it to, the scent of his cologne is driving me a little nuts because it just smells so good mixed with his natural male musk. It makes me want to bury my face in the crook of his neck so I can get closer whiff of the intoxicating aroma.

"Did you sleep well, then?" He asks before he hangs the garment in the adjacent closet. There is a hint of humor in his voice but I don't know what he's finding so funny.

"I slept fairly well," I answer, which followed by a big gulp because my throat suddenly feels dry. I can feel my cheeks go red, now that he was so close in proximity to me. I avert my gaze because I am afraid that when he looks into my eyes and notices how embarrassed I am, he'll know that I just woke up from a dirty dream that I had about him. I fixate my gaze on a blush pink summer dress and then hold it up to my body so I can make a great show of considering it for an outfit for breakfast. But pretending he wasn't in the room with me didn't make him leave my guest room any faster. Get a clue Dominic and go away!

"Why are you blushing so much?" Dominic inquires and it feels like a cruel question.

"I'm not blushing!" I try to deny, so I toss the dress back into the suitcase and move away from his prying eyes. I then try to escape back to the privacy of the en suite but he blocks my path.

"Your cheeks are literally beet red right now," Dominic insists and an amused smile is playing on his lips. I have no words for him. I can't help but compare my dream Dominic to the real Dominic. It's interesting how similar they are.

"You surprised me... I was expecting Marge," I quickly lie, still avoiding his gaze.

"She had to do some other errands," He explained, but that amused smirk is still on his lips which just causes me to scowl. "So, you're claiming that you're blushing because you were surprised by my presence? That's the story you're going to go with?"

"Why are you so obsessed with my blushing?" I demand as I throw deadly daggers with my eyes into his handsome face.

"Because you look cute when you blush, so I was curious as to why..." He says slowly as he watches me squirm under his gaze. "But you're even hotter when you're mad... I should upset you more often."

"Shouldn't be too hard then. You just simply have to open your mouth and it makes me mad," I retort with another scowl and I try to forget that he just called me hot. I'm flattered, but I'm intensely trying to loathe him. "By the way, why not send Braden to give me the dress?"

"Rose, has anyone told you that you talk in your sleep?" Dominic asks and I feel the blood drain out my face. Oh boy, I do know that I talk in my sleep. This is why Juliet and I had separate rooms since we were kids. But it's not like I share a room with Dominic, so what did it matter?

"Sure, a lot of people talk in their sleep," I say dismissively with a shrug. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"I heard some commotion from you room last night and decided to check on you... And I must say I was pleasantly surprised to hear you calling out my name," He begins to tell me with a derisive grin. "Multiple times, I might add. So, I've been counting the minutes until you would awake..."

Oh my gosh, he knew the entire time! From the moment he walked into this room, he knew! As soon as he saw me turning red like a hot thermometer it probably confirmed what he could only guess at last night. He was toying with me the entire time, just trying to get me to admit to it.

"So your entire goal this morning was to humiliate me? What kind of jerk are you?!" I shout, interrupting him as my hands curl into angry fists. He raises his hands up defensively, derisive grin still in place.

"I think you've misunderstood me, here. It's been driving me mad that I couldn't join you last night," he clarifies as he takes one step closer to me. "I'm not some jerk who's going to make moves on you when you're fast asleep. But you should know that the attraction is mutual. Now that you're awake I won't feel so guilty when I do this..."

He bends his head low and his mouth captures mine in a passionate kiss. His tongue enters my mouth and I'm dizzy with pleasure as he flicks the the tip of it across the length of my lower lip. After a minute I realize that I'm still mad at him, so I abruptly shove him away. The look of shock on his face is so funny and that whatever anger that I was holding onto dissipates. With a throaty chuckle I grab the front of his shirt and I return his kiss with equal passion.

"Is this better than your dreams?" He murmurs against my mouth as he pulls me closer. I can feel his lips curve into smile.

"Shut up! You should really quit while you're ahead..." I reply as I grab onto his strong jawline and pull his tantalizing mouth in for another mind-blowing kiss. Even though I'm probably never going to tell him, he is infinitely better in real life than he is in my dream.

His hands begin running up my thighs and slip under my towel. One of his hands squeezes my naked behind as the other travels up to the small of my back, pulling me up against his rock hard body. I rip open his dress shirt, eager to get my hands on his muscular chest. It's something I've been wanting to do ever since I met him wearing nothing but a towel, exposing his well toned body. How funny was it now that the situation was now reversed. My fingertips skim over the wide expanse of his hard chest as I push off the remainder of the dress shirt from his shoulders. The next items that fall to the floor are his belt, pants and briefs as I work quickly to get this man naked.

"This has to go," he orders in a gruff voice, as one of his hands pulled at the corner of the towel wrapped around me. "Like now."

With a flick of his wrist the towel falls off my body and joins the pile of his discarded clothing. He then lifts me up in his arms and I wrap my legs around his waist. He then carries me to the bed and we sink into the mattress together. He gently massages both breasts as he kisses down the side of my face, down the column of my neck and down to my cleavage. I moan loudly as he begins licking one breast before moving onto the other. His lips on my body is like adding gasoline to a raging fire.

"I need you now," I whimper as I rake my nails down his back.

"God, I need you too..." He utters, his voice thick with desire.

In one smooth motion, he enters me with a small grunt and I feel myself unfurl with bliss under the weight of his body. He feels amazing and his slow thrusts are driving me crazy with pleasure. After a few minutes of enjoying this tortuously slow pace, his movements start to quicken and I feel myself getting closer and closer to climax. Suddenly, my body contracts and I grip fistfuls of the bed sheets underneath me as I crest over my threshold of pain and pleasure. With a audible groan Dominic falls forward shortly afterwards and he's out of breath. He collects me in his strong arms and holds me close. I relax against his taut body, enjoying the texture of his coarse skin against my own as I wrap my arms around his neck and rest my head on his chest.

"So... should we grab breakfast?" I ask as I listen to his rapid heartbeat under my ear.

"Nah... I think we should spend the next couple hours in bed," He suggests instead and then pulls me up and presses a quick kiss to my lips.

"Obviously, you have the best ideas," I admit with a demure smile. One kiss is never enough for me, so I sit up on his lap and crush my mouth to his.

"Took you long enough to notice," He says with laugh as he rolls me onto my back. It's clear that for the next couple hours that we're going to be very busy...


	7. Chapter 6

_**CHAPTER SIX**_

After a couple of hours of getting pretty well acquainted in bed, we finally ventured out to the dining room for food. I sit next to him as his housekeeper places a breakfast platter at the table. It is piled high with pastries, fresh fruit and a variety of cheeses. Since I'm starving, especially after our acrobatic morning, I begin to load up plate with all sorts of delightful carbs.

"Oh my goodness, this cronut is so good..." I say after I take a huge bite of the sugary and flaky pastry. "I think it's definitely something that I've got to add to my menu at the cafe."

Dominic looks up from the newspaper he's reading and begins to laugh as soon as he sees my face.

"You're a mess," He says affectionately as he brushes the crumbs off my face with his napkin. "You practically swallowed that cronut whole."

"You're lucky that you have these pastries here. They actually save this brunch platter from being a sad state of affairs," I retort as I break off a small piece of my second cronut and pop it into my mouth, hopefully improving my crumb situation.

"What do you mean?" He asks with a quizzical look on his face and one eyebrow raised.

"I'm totally forgiving the fact that there's no bacon, no breakfast sausages, no eggs. You get what I mean..." I explain as I point to the platter. Dominic just laughs at me some more.

"You worked up an appetite, did you?" He says with lascivious look in his eye.

"I would think you did too," I reply defensively as I fight the blush creeping up my cheeks.

"Ye have such little faith," Dominic responded with a cryptic smirk.

As if on cue, his housekeeper returns holding a covered platter. She set it down next to the pastry platter and lifted the lid up, revealing a rasher of bacon, slices of ham, round sausages and fluffy looking scrambled eggs. The salty and savory smells cause my mouth to water. I immediately begin making the breakfast sandwich of my dreams, as I slice open a cronut and begin piling on the meat and cheese.

"I stand corrected," I admit as I spoon some of scrambled eggs onto my cronut sandwich.

"You really outdid yourself with the brunch platter this afternoon, Gertrude. It's outstanding." Dominic compliments his housekeeper with an appreciative smile. She appears pleased with his comment.

"Thank you, Mr. Dominic. Is there anything else that you need?" She asks him earnestly.

"I have everything I need, but what about you Rose? Any requests?" Dominic inquires, before taking a sip of his coffee.

"Please don't be shy, Ms. Rose," Gertrude chimes in, providing me with a warm smile. "You can request anything you'd like and I'll try my best to provide it for you."

"Well, to be honest I wouldn't mind a mimosa to go along with all this wonderful food," I tell her shyly, as I'm not very accustomed to bossing around servants like Dominic is. "But only if you join me."

Gertrude's body shook with her joyful laughter and she patted me on back afterwards.

"Some mimosas coming right up, Ms. Rose," She says before she disappeared into the kitchen.

"She's very friendly..." I said with an impressed smile.

"Yeah, she's probably very excited to finally see a girl stay over," Dominic explains as he turns a page of his newspaper. "She's been bugging me for the past few years to get a girlfriend..."/

My hearts begins to beat wildly when I hear this. Did Dominic just say that he considers me his girlfriend? Before I could obsess over Dominic's statement, Gertrude returns carrying a serving tray with three empty champagne flutes and large jug shaped pitcher filled with an orange juice and champagne mixture. She garnished her flutes with blueberries, raspberries and a curly orange rind. She sets the serving tray down and pours each flute with the cocktail. She places one flute next to Dominic's coffee and he mutters a quick 'thank you' as his attention is engrossed with the newspaper. She then comes over to me and hands me one of the flutes.

"Estrovia!" She cheered as she held her glass up. I think it must mean'cheers'.

"Estrovia...?!" I join in and clink my glass with hers. I take a sip, enjoying the bubbly and tart beverage. My jaw drops open as I watch her shoot back the entire contents of her glass down. I had no idea that shooting champagne was a thing.

"Wow, Gertrude. You don't mess around," I say with awe and I can hear Dominic chuckle in the background.

"Gertrude drinks vodka with her breakfast," He says with a smile of admiration, as if he were proud that she knock back so much liquor without flinching. It was clear that the two of them were close and enjoyed each other's company. She probably got to see more of his softer side. The side that I was just beginning to see.

"This was nice, we'll have to do this again," Gertrude said with a big grin on her face. "But I have to go now. I can't miss anymore of my afternoon soap operas."

"Sure, sure. I'll see you later..." I reply and she then exited the room with a curt wave.

"You'd think with the Netflix subscription I got her, she wouldn't need that afternoon break for her soaps anymore. But old habits die hard I guess," Dominic mutters as he picks up his own mimosa and takes a swig.

I chuckle at his comment and I get back to my assembling my sandwich. Just as I'm almost done putting the sandwich together, Marge and Braden enter the dining room. Marge's arms are filled with an assortment of shopping bags and Braden is holding two heavy duty briefcases, one in each hand. Marge walks by Dominic and places a petite black paper bag with silver tissue paper peaking out next to his plate. There is simple image of a diamond emblazoned in sliver on the front of the bag, which indicates that it is from the jewelry store. I take a break from sandwich assembly to stare at the little bag but Dominic quickly picks it up from the table and sets it next to his feet.

"I got the flat-iron, salon hair products and Marc Jacobs make up as requested, sir," Marge reports as she takes the seat across from him and Dominic nods at her. It is only then I noticed that Gertrude had set the table for four.

"Ooooh, mimosas!" Marge exclaimed with delight, as she grabbed the pitcher and poured the orange juice concoction into her empty water glass.

"This is just what I need right now," She said with a small smile after her first sip. Then she proceeded to make a plate for herself.

Braden sat directly across from me and eyed my sandwich warily.

"I don't know if that's most disgusting breakfast sandwich I've ever seen or the most delicious," Braden comments as he places his briefcases down on the floor.

I take a bite and it's as awesome as it can be. I know how to do brunch like a champion.

"My vote is for delicious," I retort, but my voice is slightly distorted because my mouth is full of food. Marge looks at my plate and her nose wrinkles in disgust.

"You should really put more fruit on your plate. You have a tight dress to fit into tonight," she instructs before she forks a cube of melon into her mouth.

It was then, I break out the love haze that I've been in and I remember why I'm really here. I'm not Dominic's girlfriend, I'm not even his guest, I'm not anything to these people. I'm just a girl that they ran into, that happened to resemble Amelia, thus I am able to help them retrieve some stolen documents. I promptly lose my appetite and push my plate aside.

"You're not going to eat that anymore?" Braden asks, pointing to my discarded sandwich.

"No, I filled up on too many cronuts, I guess," I fabricate with a frown.

"Well, don't let your masterpiece go to waste. I'll take that off your hands for you then," He requests with a charming smile. The slight change in his expression, lights up his entire face and it just reminds me how devastatingly handsome Braden is. If I wasn't so wrapped up with Dominic, Braden would be real contender for my heart...

"I hope you enjoy my masterpiece," I tell him with a friendly smile as I hand over my plate to him. You just can't take that customer service side out of me.

He takes a humongous bite out of the cronut breakfast sandwich and gives me a thumbs up.

"Best. Sandwich. Ever. You should consider leaving the cafe business and open up a sandwich shop," Braden informs me after he's done swallowing. The look in warm brown eyes is genuine and his smile is sweet. I return his smile.

"It's not bad idea. It would mean that I could sleep in more," I say with a nod. I laugh and I feel a little better than I did a few minutes ago. Dominic watches our exchange with a worried look in his eyes. He clears his throat and begins to fold his newspaper up before he gets up./

"Rose, it looks like you're done with eating breakfast. Please join me in the study, I need to discuss something with you in private," He informs, not exactly giving me room to refuse.

"Meh, not like I have choice here," I reply indifferently, as I'm still a little stung from before.

I quickly wipe my mouth and hands with a napkin before I leave the table. He picks up the gift bag that Marge left him and walks out of the room. I follow him down a long hallway, toward the back of his house. We stop in front of a heavy oak door, which he opens and signals for me to enter. I go inside and find a miniature library filled with leather bound books with a fancy wooden desk at its center. He guides me into one the of the two leather chairs placed before the desk and then he sits into the luxurious black leather chair behind it. There is a tense moment between us as we hold each other's gazes.

"Rose," He murmurs softly, leaning forward in his chair as he rests his crossed arms on the desk. "You know from the moment I caught you in my hotel room, I haven't stopped thinking about you. And it wasn't just because you slightly resemble Amelia..."

"It wasn't?" I ask with surprise. I had thought everything between us was motivated because of my supposed likeness to Amelia.

"Not at all... There was a spark between us that I haven't experienced with anyone else before," Dominic revealed and I knew exactly what he meant. "But it was something that I chose to ignore and I have been trying to bury these feelings I have for you ever since."

"Why?" I inquired with great curiosity.

"Come on, Rose. Isn't it obvious? It's because it made it easier for me to pressure you into posing as Amelia for a few of my business rivals," He explained, his gaze almost apologetic. "Or maybe I needed to give myself a legitimate excuse to pursue you..."

"So, that's all well and good, but what about now? What's changed?" I demand as I cross my arms, only slightly annoyed.

"You know last night, when I heard a noise coming from your room... I thought that maybe you were in danger because a couple of these business rivals of mine are ruthless and dangerous," He said and his blue eyes were focused on me. They were filled with concern. "And I kept thinking that you would never know how I felt about you and it would be too late."

"But I'm safe right now," I say softly, uncrossing my arms and reaching out to him. He gave me a half smile as he linked our hands together. He gave my hands a small squeeze.

"As you can imagine, I was deliriously happy by what I saw instead," He said with a playful smile but his voice was slightly husky.

"I bet," I say with a small laugh. I knew I was already blushing.

"It meant that we had another chance to be honest with each other," He said and then his smile became slightly more mischievous. "You would admit that we were _very_ honest about how we felt about each other this morning, no?"

"That's one way of putting it," I agree as I return his smile with a mischievous one of my own.

"But this complicates things for me greatly," He says as he begins rubbing slow little circles on my inner wrist with his thumb. I can't help but enjoy the sensations of him stroking my inner wrist.

"So, as of right now you are no longer required to assist me and my team in retrieving my stolen tender bids from Roy tonight," He finally says and he promptly lets go my hands.

"But what about Juliet's blackmailer?" I ask, not knowing how I feel about this new proposition just yet.

"Don't let that be factor in your choice. I will help you with that regardless because it's the right thing to do and I have the means to help you," Dominic states, his face serious.

"Does this mean that Amelia gets away with stealing your tender bids?" I ask, feeling bad for him. It's obvious that he has worked hard for everything that he had in life and to let it go like that wouldn't be easy for him.

"I'll find another way. There's always another way. You posing as Amelia is the quicker way, but I still have some guys searching for her," Dominic replies with a shrug. "It will take much longer because she was my assistant for quite some time, so she'll know how to stay off my grid. However, that's not for you to worry about."

A few days ago, I would have taken him up on his offer. I would have been happy to go back to my old life, telling myself that ignorance is bliss. However, after getting to know Dominic and having our own blissful experiences this morning, I know I can't go back to my old life so easily. I truly want to help him if I can.

"Dominic, you did say this was my choice now. I could actually choose to stick around and help you," I assert as I stand up, leaning forward on my palms on his desk. His concern for me was touching and I wanted to help him now, of my own volition. "And I want to help you! I don't want you to be cheated of what you've earned."

"Are you certain? This is not exactly safe..." He warns me and he gets up too so he can hold my hands in his. "I'm obviously going to provide you with the best surveillance and I will protect you with every inch of me, but I have to caution you that Roy is a wild card."

"I'm so certain," I tell him as I look up into his gaze. I could almost melt under the intensity of his blue eyes.

"Wow, this is such a change in attitude from a week ago..." He replies, looking slightly shocked. "But thank you for doing this for me."

"Well, thank you for helping me with Juliet's blackmailer," I told him. "I've spent too many nights awake thinking about how to solve this. Now I can rest a little bit easier."

"Not too easy, I hope," He replies, giving me a wicked grin. I just shake my head at him.

"You know, I can still change my mind, right?" I joke and he looks contrite.

"Well, I didn't know what your answer would be, but I was still hopeful," Dominic says and he sits back down in his seat. "But maybe this will reassure you."

He picks up the little black bag and fishes his hand inside the artfully fluffed silver tissue paper taking out a small white gift box. The small box has an elaborate silver ribbon tied in bow around it and he handed the gift box to me. I take the box from him as I sit down because I feel like I need to sit to open it. I tug at the ribbon and open the box, only find another smaller black velvet lined jewelry box inside. I flip the lid of the box open and find a gorgeous piece of jewelry nestled in the velvet at its center. The piece of jewelry looks like an open rose in bloom, the gold petals are exquisitely lifelike as they surround a beautifully cut gemstone. I gasp at how lovely it is.

"It's so beautiful, I didn't know they could make something like this..." I say with astonishment.

"It's more valuable, than it is beautiful," Dominic tells me. "It's a brooch that will allow me to watch over you tonight. That gemstone in the center is actually a camera. It'll be like I'm right next to you, making sure that you're safe."

"It will definitely look good with my Wayne Cooper dress," I quipped as I held the brooch up to the light to look at the fine details. Also, I couldn't tell that there was camera inside which I guess was the point.

"Still interested, I see?" Dominic ensures. "Haven't scared you off yet?"

"I don't scare easy, Dominic." I reassure him. "We're going to get your stolen bids back."


	8. EPILOGUE

_**EPILOGUE**_

"Dreams can be crazy. It wasn't too long ago that I was dreaming about having a normal relationship Dominic. You know typical type of romantic relationship, with flowers, dinners out and maybe if you're lucky some hot sex in between.

But I now realize, Dominic can't do normal. We can't do normal. And who cares? I know that we don't. What we have together is better than anything I can dream up. Sometimes our reality can be better than our fantasies.

Dominic introduced me to world of intrigue and excitement. After one taste, just like his lips, I knew wanted more. Craved more. Needed more.

Pretending to be Amelia was scary as hell, especially because Roy was pretty much akin to a wild boar. But during my entire charade there was still a small perverse part of me that kept saying: _This is fun, I kinda like this._

Although, we didn't get the exact results that we had set out for, I couldn't deny that I've never felt more alive. That rush of adrenaline coursing through my body, it was addictive.

Of course, things were horrible when Amelia had kidnapped me from Dominic's arms. Yet, when I was trying to manipulate her mood and choices, I couldn't help thinking that I was pretty good at this spy stuff. Luckily, Dominic swiftly ended that ordeal.

Now that I was safe and resting in his strong arms, I can't imagine going back to wanting a normal relationship ever again. This is where I belong.


End file.
